Japanese people have wrapped items in cloth since ancient times. A piece of cloth dated back 1200 years that was used to wrap imperial properties can be seen at the Shosoin Repository in Nara.

It is said that the name furoshiki came to stay in Edo Era. Merchants swaggering on the street and travellers hastily going on their journey were all carrying their precious items in a piece of furoshiki.

Many years since then. Today furoshiki is gathering attention again as a useful tool.

Transformed from an item for special occasions to a daily commodity, furoshiki these days offers a wide variety of pattens and materials. You can use your favorite piece to wrap an item in a number of different ways.

Why not use it as an eco-friendly shopping bag at the supermarket? Bringing a bottle of Japanese sake or wine in a furoshiki over to a friend’s house for a dinner party would be another nice idea.

It is a Japanese tradition that offers an idea of environmental protection and the fun of creativity to a modern lifestyle.